JJC Board of Trustees Approves 2018 budget

6/27/2017, 5:31 p.m.

The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees approved the college’s FY 2018 budget at their June meeting. The total operating budget for FY18 is $ 91.49 million, representing a 2.8 percent increase over the FY17 budget. This is the 45th consecutive year that the college’s operating budget has been balanced.

“As the state budget crisis continues to negatively impact the people of Illinois and our college district, JJC has been forced to make some difficult decisions throughout our budgeting process, including the increase of tuition for the upcoming academic year,” JJC President Dr. Judy Mitchell said.

Despite the uncertainty of its revenue source from the state, the college balanced its budget with conservative assumptions and responsible spending. The annual budget was developed with comprehensive planning and input from the college community and is based on the 2018-2020 Financial Plan and annual priorities established by the Board of Trustees.

Highlights of the new budget include:

• a $19 increase in tuition to cover funding deficits created by the state budget crisis;

• new personnel costs to support student success initiatives and facility maintenance for the opening of our new Event Center and Romeoville expansion; and

• a required grant fund match for the U.S. Department of Education Title III Grant to support student engagement, persistence and completion programs.

Despite the recent tuition increase, JJC remains cost competitive with other community colleges and is significantly less expensive than public and private universities. JJC’s tuition currently ranks 15th of 38 community colleges across the state, and JJC’s cost per credit hour of $144 is near the state average of $141.

“We must invest in JJC to grow JJC. The recent tuition increase was a difficult but necessary step ensure JJC’s financial stability during these unprecedented times,” Mitchell said.

“Nonetheless, we recognize that any further cuts in state funding will have to be overcome by cost reductions rather than additional tuition increases.”